Loss of Qantas Platinum 1 member points due to members accidental death....

[JohnK]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

It may just be me, but that is coming up as an invalid thread

Works for me as well. Try the Qantas forum around December 2012.

 

[straitman]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

Hmm, works for me??

Working for me also.

 

[Jobu]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

It does seem strange to me that a member can transfer points to a family member, yet if they pass away, the points are wiped without so much as a hint. It reminds me of another hate - expiring gift vouchers and cards. You pay $ for $ for them, so why should they expire in such short time frames (if at all!). That is taking money for nothing, not dissimilar to theft.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

It does seem strange to me that a member can transfer points to a family member, yet if they pass away, the points are wiped without so much as a hint. It reminds me of another hate - expiring gift vouchers and cards. You pay $ for $ for them, so why should they expire in such short time frames (if at all!). That is taking money for nothing, not dissimilar to theft.

Gift cards are designed this way on purpose. You're essentially buying store credit with conditions, usually at full price (?!?!).
Around 30% of gift cards never deplete their entire balance and this becomes free cash for the retailer.

Personally I don't agree with QFF terms around points and death of the member as it shows a lack of compassion - especially in this case when the member was a very loyal Platinum One.

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

In the event of death, one rule for all members (loyalty has officially ended for each member)

Personally I don't agree with QFF terms around points and death of the member as it shows a lack of compassion - especially in this case when the member was a very loyal Platinum One.

 

[simongr]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

I agree this was poorly handled by QFF and frankly they should be answering some hard questions about how they used third party information to make someone deceased in their systems. Did you actually speak to the Platinum One team - the number on the back of your husband's card? I would be happy to PM you the P1 number if you need it. Alternatively if you can't get through on the phone then an email to the P1 team works as well.

 

[drewbles]

As someone else mentioned earlier what is stopping me from contacting Qantas and advising them random AFF member has passed so please close their account without any verification whatsoever? Last names and/or QFF numbers are available all over the place (seat pockets are a major source!)

If privacy does go when one passes does this mean I can request personal information about someone who is deceased?

(sorry to quote an old post) but, Fraud. It would be easy to prove the person was not deceased, they'd find your caller ID and report it to the AFP.

And 'I'd block my caller ID' doesn't cut it; your caller ID is *always* recorded somewhere, it's simply a flag that says 'do not present to caller' that is set when you block it, nothing more.

 

[medhead]

(sorry to quote an old post) but, Fraud. It would be easy to prove the person was not deceased, they'd find your caller ID and report it to the AFP.

And 'I'd block my caller ID' doesn't cut it; your caller ID is *always* recorded somewhere, it's simply a flag that says 'do not present to caller' that is set when you block it, nothing more.

However, once the points are gone they're gone, according to qantas. Being able to maybe catch someone after the fact and hope they get charged for fraud is small comfort.

 

[drsmithy]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

Regarding Qantas allowing you to have 50% of your husbands points I think they have considered your claim fairly compassionately although I don't know how well the delivery was handled.

My condolences to the bereaved, however...

Without trawling through the previous ten pages to read the whole discussion, based on the facts given in the first page Qantas would have been well within their rights to actual reclaim the 100k transferred after the husband's death. The T&Cs are, I think, a bit unreasonable on this front, but they are pretty clear - points are voided on the death of the account holder (not when Qantas is informed of that death). So having received both the initial 100k and 50% of the remainder is pretty good.

With that said, the account certainly shouldn't have been closed just because someone cancelling a flight said the member was dead.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

Once again, I am sorry for your loss and hope that you are coming to terms with the changes in your life.

I suspect that the issue that concerns you the most is that Qantas cancelled the bookings, and then the account without the opportunity for you to "do something" with those points. I can understand qantas cancelling the booking, as that booking (I believe) wasn't made by your husband, but by his employer. Therefore the employer does have the right to cancel that booking. In hindsight, Qantas then should have contacted you for confirmation of his death. I suspect though, that the outcome would have been the same according to their terms and conditions. So while the outcome was the same, it was the process of cancellation (without the Executor or next of kin's confirmation") that was at issue.

However, as I said, my MIL's superannuation pension was cancelled immediately without our contact once that organisation read the death notice in the paper. It is obviously someone's job in that organisation specifically to do that.

 

[Deleted member]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

while I get that QF has as part of the T&C's, that points die with the passenger, these points appear on the QF books as an unrealised asset (Fare) and as such it would seem to me that as the "asset value" to the Customer is worth a fair bit (in this case) to the estate, and in this case should in fact hold the asset and distribute it accordingly.
Mind you I am, not a lawyer nor do I profess any expertise here.
It would seem to me that as these points have an actual value then that value should be preserved.
while it may not be the same as a bank saying you're no longer alive therefore your bank account is now ours, you get my thinking here.
Ironically were the FF involved NOT travelling when he passed away then it would be a simple matter of quietly using and transferring his points until the account was empty.

 

[PDog]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

My condolences, sorry for your loss.
Our experience was exactly the opposite. My sister called Qantas to advise of her plans to transfer Mum's points to herself (as Mum intended to, but was waiting for the 12 months to click over from the last lot.) Qantas' advice was to transfer points online into Mum's account, and use Mum's account to purchase tickets so not to waste the remaining 80,000 or so points. The agent was adamant that my sister's question was a 'hypothetical' and she couldn't look at Mum's account without her permission.
These are the times you have to nail Customer Service, not necessarily bending the rules, but the delivery needs to be spot on.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

To be honest thinking about this one again would it be too difficult for Qantas to restore all QFF points? I know they do not have to restore all QFF points but would be a nice a gesture.

 

[straitman]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

To be honest thinking about this one again would it be too difficult for Qantas to restore all QFF points? I know they do not have to restore all QFF points but would be a nice a gesture.

A nicer gesture would be to not immediately close the account and take all the points :!:

 

[Pushka]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

A nicer gesture would be to not immediately close the account and take all the points :!:

I can understand why they'd do this once a death has been reported to them by a reliable source. In this case they acted on info from the wrong person (employer) and not next of kin. Those points belong to each account holder unless they wish to give them to family.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Seems too easy to report a death and have the account killed off.

Maybe I'll call and report my own death to see if they cancel the account

 

[JohnK]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

A nicer gesture would be to not immediately close the account and take all the points :!:

Agreed....

 

[ashleyn]

Seems too easy to report a death and have the account killed off.

Maybe I'll call and report my own death to see if they cancel the account

Can I come to your funeral ?

 

[drsmithy]

Re: Deceased Qantas Plat member points.... Here's what happened, one year on.

I can understand why they'd do this once a death has been reported to them by a reliable source. In this case they acted on info from the wrong person (employer) and not next of kin. Those points belong to each account holder unless they wish to give them to family.

But the T&Cs say the points disappear when the account holder dies.

Note that's not "when Qantas is informed the account holder has died".

 

[EmilyHoward]

Can I come to your funeral ?

I'll come to ..... If there's catering!

EH